The Gardner 7: the busiest time of the year

Monday, November 24, 2008

the busiest time of the year

I'm sure all of you are in the same boat! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the busiest time of the year. I have to schedule time to put up the tree and decorations, see the lights, listen to Christmas music and enjoy some of the other seasonal festivities because our lives become so crazy. Crazy with choir concerts, gumnastic meets, church callings, tithing settlement, school performances, and just keeping up with the day to day craziness of life. This year I am hoping to read a meaningful Christmas story for the 12 days before Christmas. I started a collection last year. They have some BEAUTIFULLY illustrated stories at Deseret Book that have wonderful Christmas meaning. I am making my schedule now so we will have time to feel the peaceful and loving feelings that should take precedents at christmas time. I am thinking jammies, hot chocolate and stories by a soft glowing light before bed! Ahhhh....that sounds like Christmas to me. What are you doing this year to bring in the Christmas Spirit?

6 comments:

Blass Family said...: Oh how I wish I was as orginized as you! It is a great idea to make a schedule and I LOVE LISTS!! As for what we do like to do during this wonderfull time of year we love to watch Christmas movies on every Sunday night before Christmas!; November 24, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Your idea of a wonderful Christmas sounds good to me too! I got some new books from Seagull Book and each of them has it's own special message. We have already started on those. We also have a collection of food for the foodbank going. Brin has several choral performances next month and I get to sing with the ward choir this year. An arrangement of "Silent Night" I have never heard but is really beautiful. I have the solo part which is the melody so I should be able to handle it- perhaps without medication. How are you feeling by the way? I have thought of you many times and wondered how you are doing. Hope your Thanksgiving is a fabulous one!!; November 25, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Unknown said...: I decided to put my tree up early this year...it has been up for 2 weeks and it is very very soothing to me. I love to turn off all the lights, crank the Josh Groban Christmas tunes and veg! This is what I need right now. And to top it off with warm fuzzy jammies and a good book and I am set. I am trying to come up with a meaningful thing to do this year like the testimonies we did last year for Christmas....hmmm, I will keep you posted! Thanks for always being so amazing!; November 25, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Anonymous said...: We have our "giving tree" ... its a styrofoam tree that I put out every year. When the boys(or Curt or I) do a service for someone we are allowed to put an ornament on the tree. The idea is to have a glorious centerpiece for christmas day. It keeps us centered on the spirit of Christmas and giving. We also like to read stories that teach us about the true meaning of the season. Love you tons Deanna you are an inspiration!!!; November 30, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Unknown said...: That sounds joyful
We wrote testimonies to my niece who is serving a mission, we are planning some special suprises for a family member who is going through a tough time and we are trying to do lots of kind things. I came home from the tab choir concert thursday night to a spotless bedroom and kitchen..THANK YOU HONEY! It was amazing I could go to bed with peace! I loved it! We are also trying all sorts of new chocolates this year. Tonight we are trying a dark chocolate infused with chili pepper. I will let you know!; December 13, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Blass Family said...: Hi Deanna Thanks! We took those pics up Milcreek Canyon My sister in law took them! It was really pretty up there, but FREEZING!; December 16, 2008 at 7:16 AM

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facebook

I am now a part of facebook. I was a little skeptical at first but I have become reacquainted with so many friends from High School and the Denver area that I am glad I joined. Two things that I have discovered. The first is that people's personalities don't really change that much.....just their looks. And two.....I am really grateful for the choices that I have made that have led me to this point in my life. The Lord truly takes care of me and my family and has given me more blessings and opportunities than I could have ever dreamed of. I married a man who is an amazing father and husband. He has taken care of us in every way possible. My children are beautiful and healthy. The Lord has been good to me.

Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood.....here I come!

Well, Valentine's Day was bigger than Christmas at the Gardner home this year, which wasn't too difficult considering Dan and I didn't get each other presents for Christmas. I surprised Dan with a digital picture frame at his office with some homemade chocolates (which were quite fabulous if I might say so myself.) And Dan surprised me with tickets to the Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood concert.....in Sacramento, California! That's right! We are flying out on Wednesday, March 12th to go to the concert that night and will fly home the next day. But it even gets better......my sister and her husband are going too! YIPPEEE! I am so excited and was quite shocked that Dan had already worked out a lot of the little details. What a man! I hope your Valentine's Day was full of love and "surprises!"

President Hinckley

There are some events in life that have had such an impact on me that I remember exactly what I was doing at the moment it happened. Sunday night when I was informed that President Hinckley had passed away will be one of those such events. I was in the hall reading to the children when Dan in a somewhat panicked voice beckoned me to come downstairs. When I got to the bottom of the stairs I glanced at the TV and there was a picture of President Hinckley with a caption stating that he had passed away earlier that evening. Immediately I called the children downstairs so they could see what was going on and then I called my family in Denver. After I got off of the phone I looked over to see an image I will never forget. Maddison was in her Daddy's arms and her eyes were filled with tears. The only Prophet that she had known in her life had just died. We called the children around us and offered a prayer of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for blessing us with such a wonderful Prophet. How truly grateful I am for President Hinckley's life and his powerful example of service and love. He will always be the "People's Prophet."

The book of the Gardner's, Month 12: day 24

1. And it came to pass on that day that there went out a decree from Shelene Gardner, that all in the Hal Gardner lineage in the region round about should gather at their Inn.
2. And Dan also went up, out of the city of Clearfield, into the city of Layton, (because he was of the lineage of Hal Gardner) to eat with his wife Deanna, and four children.
3. And all went to eat, every Gardner from their homes.
4. And it came to pass that when the family arrived they did find the table spread with a feast fit for a king.
5. And there was much food and rejoicing, and they ate and were filled.
6. And so it was that while they were there they portrayed the birth of our King....

Focus!

Thanksgiving was full of food, fun and family! Lots of family! It is so great to come together with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas and grandmas and feel as though you were never apart. What a great blessing family is in my life. I wish that I lived closer to more family members so I could feel of the great support and uplift they give to me daily!

My sister and I realized that this was once our family....but our parents were in our position and we were in our kids position. But we don't remember our parents ever looking so good at our age!

The children had a great time playing with their cousins. They were all immediate friends and had a hard time leaving the fun!

Well, another Thanksgiving and soon to be year will have come and gone again. This time of year is a great time of reflection for me. I love to look on the past year and see the Lord's involvement in our lives. He has been so good to us even though times haven't always been easy. I also look forward to the new year and the opportunity it brings for change. I have set some goals for myself and am hoping that this year I will have the self-discipline to focus on these goals and not get side tracked as I usually do! Every year we choose one word as a focus for change. In 2006 it was simplify! Last year it was plan! This year I think it will be focus!

If I had a wish for everyone this holiday season it would be to spend time with your loved ones making memories!